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Tallapoosa County, Alabama facts for kids

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Tallapoosa County
Tallapoosa County Courthouse in Dadeville
Tallapoosa County Courthouse in Dadeville
Official seal of Tallapoosa County
Seal
Map of Alabama highlighting Tallapoosa County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Alabama
Founded December 18, 1832
Named for Tallapoosa River
Seat Dadeville
Largest city Alexander City
Area
 • Total 766 sq mi (1,980 km2)
 • Land 717 sq mi (1,860 km2)
 • Water 50 sq mi (100 km2)  6.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 41,311
 • Estimate 
(2023)
40,677 Decrease
 • Density 53.93/sq mi (20.823/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd
  • County Number 62 on Alabama Licence Plates

Tallapoosa County is a county located in the middle-eastern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. In 2020, about 41,311 people lived there. The main town, called the county seat, is Dadeville. The biggest city in the county is Alexander City.

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Tallapoosa

The name Tallapoosa comes from the Creek people. Many Creek villages were once located along the lower parts of the Tallapoosa River. The county is named after this river.

The word "Tallapoosa" might mean "pulverized rock" in the Choctaw language. It could also mean "grandmother town" in the Muscogee language. The Tallapoosa branch of the Muscogee tribe is thought to be one of the oldest groups in the southeastern United States. The river was a very important place for the Creek people before the early 1800s.

A Look Back: Tallapoosa County's History

Tallapoosa County was created in 1832. This happened after the Creek Indians gave up their lands in a special agreement called the Treaty of Cusseta. The first county seat was a Creek town named Okfuskee.

After the Creek people were forced to move in 1836 and 1837, many people rushed to the area looking for gold. This brought a lot of new settlers hoping to find wealth.

The county was officially started on December 18, 1832. Later, on February 15, 1866, a part of Tallapoosa County was used to create Elmore County.

A very important battle, the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, happened in this area in 1814. This battle was a major event that effectively ended the Creek War.

Where is Tallapoosa County? Geography and Roads

Tallapoosa County covers about 766 square miles. Most of this (717 square miles) is land, and about 50 square miles (6.5%) is water. The county is located in a hilly area of Alabama called the Piedmont region.

The Tallapoosa River flows through the county.

Main Roads You Can Drive On

  • US 280.svg U.S. Highway 280
  • Alabama 14.svg State Route 14
  • Alabama 22.svg State Route 22
  • Alabama 49.svg State Route 49
  • Alabama 50.svg State Route 50
  • Alabama 63.svg State Route 63
  • Alabama 120.svg State Route 120
  • Alabama 128.svg State Route 128
  • Alabama 259.svg State Route 259

Neighboring Counties

Special Protected Area

Who Lives Here? Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1840 6,444
1850 15,584 141.8%
1860 23,827 52.9%
1870 16,963 −28.8%
1880 23,401 38.0%
1890 25,460 8.8%
1900 29,675 16.6%
1910 31,034 4.6%
1920 29,744 −4.2%
1930 31,188 4.9%
1940 35,270 13.1%
1950 35,074 −0.6%
1960 35,007 −0.2%
1970 33,840 −3.3%
1980 38,766 14.6%
1990 38,826 0.2%
2000 41,475 6.8%
2010 41,616 0.3%
2020 41,311 −0.7%
2023 (est.) 40,677 −2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

Population in 2020

In 2020, the census counted 41,311 people living in Tallapoosa County. There were 16,205 households and 11,183 families.

The table below shows the different groups of people living in the county. It separates people by race and ethnicity. Hispanic/Latino is a separate group, and people from any race can be Hispanic/Latino.

Tallapoosa County, Alabama – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 30,342 28,838 28,252 73.16% 69.30% 68.39%
Black or African American alone (NH) 10,488 11,050 10,366 25.29% 26.55% 25.09%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 107 119 84 0.26% 0.29% 0.20%
Asian alone (NH) 74 197 222 0.18% 0.47% 0.54%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 3 2 0 0.01% 0.00% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 5 22 91 0.01% 0.05% 0.22%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 214 346 1,152 0.52% 0.83% 2.79%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 242 1,042 1,144 0.58% 2.50% 2.77%
Total 41,475 41,616 41,311 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

More About the People (2010 Census)

In 2010, there were 41,616 people living in the county. About 58 people lived in each square mile. There were 16,985 households. A household is a group of people living together.

About 25.6% of households had children under 18. Nearly half (48.4%) were married couples. About 15.9% were led by a female without a husband.

The average household had 2.42 people. The average family had 2.91 people.

The age of people in the county varied. About 22.2% were under 18 years old. About 17.3% were 65 or older. The average age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females, there were about 94 males.

The average income for a household was $36,904. For families, it was $47,918. About 17.5% of the people lived below the poverty line. This included 27.8% of those under 18.

Towns and Communities

Cities

Towns

Special Places (Census-designated)

Small, Unincorporated Communities

Learning in Tallapoosa County: Schools

The county has several school districts:

  • Alexander City City School District
  • Tallapoosa County School District
  • Tallassee City School District

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Tallapoosa para niños

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